That Was The Year That Was: Pop Music 1968 Quiz

Answer: Paul Mauriat

"Love Is Blue" was written by André Popp/Pierre Cour. It was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra in 1968. It peaked at number 12 on the UK singles chart the same year.

Paul Mauriat was born in Marseilles, France, in 1925. He started his own dance band during WWII and in the '50s was the musical director for both Maurice Chevalier and Charles Aznavour. His first international hit was " Chariot", written Paul Mauriat/Franck Pourcel/Jacques Plante/Raymond Lefèvre. In English it became "I Will Follow Him" which was a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Little Peggy March in 1963.

Answer: Mighty Quinn

"Mighty Quinn" was written by Bob Dylan. It was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for Manfred Mann in 1968. It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

Mike D'Abo took over as lead singer for Manfred Mann when Paul Jones left in 1966. "Mighty Quinn" was the only UK number one hit for Manfred Mann with Mike D'Abo as lead singer. "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)" was recorded by Bob Dylan during "The Basement Tapes" sessions in 1967. Although "The Basement Tapes" were recorded in and around Woodstock, New York, in 1967 they were not officially released until 1975.

Answer: Status Quo

"Pictures Of Matchstick Men" was written by Francis Rossi. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 for Status Quo in 1968. It peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart the same year.

Status Quo have had 22 Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart between 1968 and 1990. They have had more than double that number of chart entries overall between 1968 and 2016. They only had one UK number one hit - "Down Down" was number one for one week in 1975. They have had more UK hits than any other group but only two hits on the Billboard Hot 100, "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" and "Ice In The Sun" both in 1968. Although the members of the group have changed around them, Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt have been permanent members. Unfortunately Rick Parfitt died on Christmas Eve 2016 aged 68.

Answer: Israel

"Cinderella Rockafella" was written by Mason Williams. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart for Esther & Abi Ofarim in 1968. It peaked at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

Esther Ofarim was born Esther Zaied in British Palestine in 1941. She came second in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest representing Switzerland with the song "T'en vas pas". Abi Ofarim was born Abraham Reichstadt in Safed, Mandatory Palestine in 1937. He attended ballet school aged 12 but by the age of 18 he had his own dance studio. They had one more hit on the UK singles chart when "One More Dance" peaked at number 13 in 1968. They were married in 1961 but divorced in 1970.

Answer: Congratulations

"Congratulations" was written by Bill Martin/Phil Coulter. It was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for Cliff Richard in 1968. It peaked at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

"Congratulations" was written by the same writers as the previous Eurovision Song Contest winner "Puppet On A String". Unfortunately Cliff Richard did not have the same success as Sandie Shaw and came second. It also spent one week less at number one on the UK singles chart than "Puppet On A String" which had three weeks at the top. "Congratulations" was Cliff Richard's ninth UK number one hit between 1959 and 1968, although some of the nine were with his backing group, The Shadows. It would be eleven years until his next UK number one hit "We Don't Talk Anymore"

Answer: You'll Never Walk Alone

"You'll Never Walk Alone" was written by Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein. It peaked at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 for Elvis Presley in 1968. It peaked at number 44 on the UK singles chart the same year.

This was a lean time for Elvis. He had not had a US Top Ten hit since "Crying In The Chapel" peaked at number three in 1965, or a US Top 20 hit since "Love Letters" peaked at number 19 in 1966. "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical "Carousel" was number one for four weeks on the UK singles chart in 1963 for Gerry & The Pacemakers. It was the third UK number one for them with the third of their first three singles. This had never been done before and would not be repeated for 21 years when another group from Liverpool, Frankie Goes To Hollywood did it with "The Power Of Love" in 1984.

Answer: Gene Pitney

"She's A Heartbreaker" was written by Charlie Foxx/Jerry Williams. It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 for Gene Pitney in 1968. It did not chart in the UK.

Born Gene Francis Alan Pitney in Hartford, Connecticut, U. S. A., in 1940, Gene Pitney had ten Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1961 and 1969. Four of those hits made the Top Ten, his biggest hit being "Only Love Can Break A Heart" (number two in 1962). On the UK singles chart he had eleven Top 20 hits, ten of those being Top Ten hits. His biggest hits were "I'm Gonna Be Strong" (1964) and "Nobody Needs Your Love" (1966), both peaking at number two. He did feature on a 1989 UK number one hit with Marc Almond on a re-recording of his own 1967 hit "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart".

He was on a tour of the UK in 2006 when his manager found him dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales, UK. He had died of a heart attack aged 66. His final show at St. David's Hall had ended with the song "Town Without Pity".

Answer: Steppenwolf

"Born To Be Wild" was written by Mars Bonfire. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for Steppenwolf in 1968. It peaked at number 30 on the UK singles chart in 1969.

Steppenwolf on "Born To Be Wild" were Jerry Edmonton (drums), John Kay (lead vocals, guitars, harmonica), Goldy McJohn (organ, piano, electric piano), Michael Monarch (guitars, backing vocals) and Rushton Moreve (bass, backing vocals). The group's name was inspired by Hermann Hesse's 1927 novel of the same name and suggested to John Kay by songwriter/musician/record producer Gabriel Mekler. Disbanded in 1972 (the first time). Steppenwolf had three Top Ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "Born To Be Wild (number two in 1968), "Magic Carpet Ride" (number three in 1968) and "Rock Me" (number ten in 1969).

Answer: Days

"Days" was written by Ray Davies. It peaked at number 12 on the UK singles chart for The Kinks in 1968. It did not chart in the US.

The Kinks, one of the most important UK groups of the '60s, were Mick Avory (drums), Dave Davies (lead guitar, lead and backing vocals), Ray Davies (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards) and Pete Quaife (bass, backing vocals). Between 1964 and 1970 they had 17 Top 20 hits on the UK singles chart. 13 of those were Top Ten hits and three were the number one hits "You Really Got Me" (number one for two weeks in 1964), "Tired Of Waiting For You" (number one for one week in 1965) and "Sunny Afternoon" (number one for two weeks in 1966). The Kinks were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Answer: Do It Again

"Do It Again" was written by Brian Wilson/Mike Love. It was number one for one week on the UK singles chart for The Beach Boys in 1968. It peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

The Beach Boys took a few years to make a mark on the UK singles chart and only had minor hits with their early singles. "Surfin' USA" (34 in 1963), When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" (27 in 1964), "Dance Dance Dance" (24 in 1965), Help Me Rhonda" (27 in 1965) and "California Girls" (26 in 1965). Only "I Get Around" made it to the top 20 (7 in 1964). Altogether they had 14 Top 20 hits, 13 of which were Top Ten hits and two were the number one hits "Good Vibrations" (number one for two weeks in 1966) and "Do It Again" (number one for one week in 1968). They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Answer: Fats Domino

"Lady Madonna" was written by John Lennon/Paul McCartney. It peaked at number 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 for Fats Domino in 1968. It did not chart in the UK.

When sung by Fats Domino "Lady Madonna" sounds like it was written for him. It is a rip-roaring Rock 'n' Roll Domino fest. Antoine Domino was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, U. S. A., in 1928. Between 1955 and 1968 he had 77 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Eighteen of those were Top 20 hits and eleven of those were Top Ten hits. He has never had a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 or the UK singles chart. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In August 2005 when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans it was thought by some that Fats and his family had been killed but they had all been rescued.

Answer: Red Balloon

"Red Balloon" was written by Raymond Froggatt. It peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart for The Dave Clark Five in 1968. It did not chart in the US.

For a time in the early days of the British invasion The DC5 were nearly as popular as The Beatles in the U. S. A. That was never the case in the UK although they had the same number of Top Ten hits in both counties with eight. They also had one number one hit in both countries. "Glad All Over" was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart in 1964, "Over And Over" was number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965. The DC5 were one of the '60s groups still able to make the UK singles chart in the '70s. "Everybody Get Together" was their last UK Top Ten hit when it peaked at number eight in 1970.

Answer: All Along The Watchtower

"All Along The Watchtower" was written by Bob Dylan. It peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1968. It peaked at number five on the UK singles chart the same year.

Jimi Hendrix was born Johnny Allen Hendrix in Seattle, Washington, U. S. A., in 1942. He was in The Isley Brothers' backing group in the early '60s and then with Little Richard. He moved to England in 1966 and was managed by The Animals ex-bass player Chas Chandler. In the first five months of 1967 as part of The Jimi Hendrix Experience with Mitch Mitchell (drums) and Noel Redding (bass guitar) he had three Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart. "Hey Joe" (number six), "Purple Haze" (number three) and "The Wind Cries Mary" (number six). In the U. S. A. "All Along The Watchtower" was Jimi Hendrix's only Top 40 entry.

Answer: The Who

"Magic Bus" was written by Pete Townshend. It peaked at number 26 on the UK singles chart for The Who in 1968. It peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

The Who were Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE born 1946 (vocals), John Alec Entwistle born 1944 (bass guitar), Keith John Moon born 1946 (drums) and Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend born 1945 (lead guitar, backing vocals). Between 1965 and 1981 they had 18 Top 20 hits on the UK singles chart, 14 of which were Top Ten hits. On the Billboard Hot 100 during the same years they had eight Top 20 hits, only one of which made the Top Ten. They did not top the chart in either country. Keith Moon died in 1978 aged 32, John Entwistle died in 2002 aged 57. Fulfilling the words of "My Generation", "I hope I die before I get old".

Answer: Stevie Wonder

"For Once In My Life" was written by Ron Miller/Orlando Murden. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for Stevie Wonder in 1968. It peaked at number three on the UK singles chart the same year.

Born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan, U. S. A., in 1950. Stevie Wonder had his first hit and only number one hit of the '60s on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Fingertips - Pt 2". He had to wait nearly ten years until 1973 for his second number one hit "Superstition". Since his first hit on the UK singles chart in 1966 with "Uptight (Everything Is Alright)", he had to wait over 18 years for his one and only UK number one hit, "I just Called To Say I Love You". However he did make it to number one on the UK singles chart in 1982 in a duet with Paul McCartney on "Ebony And Ivory", also number one in the U. S. A.